Pipelayers are track-type work machines used in pipelaying operations, in which the pipelayer raises, lowers, and carries heavy pipes. In order to reduce the cost of producing pipelayers, standard bulldozer tractors are often converted into pipelayers. This conversion is accomplished by the installation of a pipelayer frame onto the standard bulldozer. The pipelayer frame typically includes a boom frame attached to one side of the bulldozer chassis and a counterweight frame attached to an opposing side of the chassis. With the boom and counterweight frames attached, the bulldozer effectively becomes a pipelayer.
Problems with converting bulldozers to pipelayers have arisen, particularly in relation to machines with varying configurations. That is, bulldozers can be configured with narrow configurations to minimize shipping widths or with wide configurations to minimize pressure exerted by the bulldozer on the ground. Problems occur in quickly and easily adjusting pipelayer frames to accommodate these various configurations. Service technicians require much time and effort, as well as numerous replacement parts, to change a pipelayer from a narrow configuration to a wide configuration.
One attempted solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0245888 A1 (the '888 publication) issued to Dietz et al. on Nov. 2, 2006. The '888 publication discloses a bulldozer fitted with a pipelayer frame, where the pipelayer frame comprises a first sub-frame attached to a first side of the bulldozer chassis, a second sub-frame attached to a second side of the chassis, and a cross-bar interconnecting the first and second subframes and being unattached to the chassis. The cross-bar of the '888 publication can be twisted in one direction to extend the length of the cross-bar, or in the other direction to shorten the cross-bar. Thus, the length of the cross-bar can be adjusted in order to fit between frames attached to chassises with various widths.
Although the system of the '888 publication may reduce the time and effort associated with converting between various pipelayer configurations, it may still be difficult and cumbersome to use. Specifically, the system of the '888 publication requires precision to adequately fit the frame to a given width and thus, the conversion time and effort may still be excessive for an inexperienced technician.
The pipelayer frame of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.